Is there a “best practice” when it comes to solar generator long term storage as far as battery level? Like if you were going to be not using for 3 or 4 months, would it be better full, empty (thinking that would be bad personally), or somewhere in between?
Storing Portable Power Station
- Thread starter Moebius01
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Explorer I
Steward I
Discharge/charge it to 40% and store in a cool place. If you store it at 100%, you could lose 20% of full capacity in a year. If stored at 40%, the capacity loss is only 4%. Also, keep it dry, so an airtight container with a desiccant may help.
Trail Blazer III
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I had also been told to store Lithium batteries at 40% and at around 60 degrees for best life, supposedly this also prevents any potential heat build up within the battery leading to damage or fire. Personally I keep my jackery near 50 percent during the summer and charge before a trip, in the winter I keep it full as It gets used frequently to power my work computer during power failures. Lead acid batteries should always be fully charged.
Pathfinder III
With batteries, it varies by chemistry. I have a Jackery (lithium ion) and manual says charge before storage and top off every three months. I also have some LifePo4 batteries and the specs for them say fully charge and best to store for @ 77 degrees and top off at 6 months. I use them for trips and as backup. So, I keep them fully charged and check them periodically. What good is a backup battery if they don't have charge when you need them? I would suggest looking at the manufacturers recommendations and go from there based on how you use the battery.
Trail Mechanic I
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Please keep them fully charged. You may connect them to a charger like CTEK that trickle charges them continuously or intermittently
madcratebuilder
Rank V
Pathfinder I
I store mine in my temp and humidity (66-68*/30-40%) controlled gun vault at 80-100% charge.
Contributor III
I would keep it fully charged for any type of emergency power outage unless you already have that covered. These batteries are more than capable of being stored at full battery without issues.
Member III
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Refer to the manual of your specific unit. Or email their customer service.
My DBL1000 basically just lives in my YJ most of the time. But not hooked up to power. My Jackery 300 has been in continous service in my house powering my beer fridge for around 6 months now and gets used every now and then to stuff around my bedroom during power outages.
Member III
This exactly.
Don't rely on what others tell you. E-mail the manufacture. As you can see there's a difference of opinion. If you store them incorrectly and there's an issue, the company doesn't have to warranty the unit.
Information can change as things evolve. What someone tells you may no longer apply to what you have.
an old thread, but definitely one worth resurrecting since these batteries are constantly evolving and parameters for storage change...
i recently redid my battery/solar on the camper and the new LiPO battery i now have contains internal circuitry called BMS (battery maintenance system)
some batteries have a BMS that incorporates heating elements and will use battery power to keep the battery warm in cold weather. looks like manufacturers are trying to make these batteries a little more foolproof by adding more technology. so yeah, as previously stated...you DEFINITELY want to read your specific battery spec sheet and follow its directions as not all batteries will need to be treated the same. i have several lithium type batteries and they all have pretty much different parameters for proper use and storage. even charging voltages are different. i didnt know until i read
i recently redid my battery/solar on the camper and the new LiPO battery i now have contains internal circuitry called BMS (battery maintenance system)
some batteries have a BMS that incorporates heating elements and will use battery power to keep the battery warm in cold weather. looks like manufacturers are trying to make these batteries a little more foolproof by adding more technology. so yeah, as previously stated...you DEFINITELY want to read your specific battery spec sheet and follow its directions as not all batteries will need to be treated the same. i have several lithium type batteries and they all have pretty much different parameters for proper use and storage. even charging voltages are different. i didnt know until i read
